Translator: AnubisTL
Gu Feng had a tall and slender figure, but his constitution was extraordinary. His stomach seemed like a bottomless pit, as plate after plate of roasted meat disappeared into it without any sign of him feeling full.
As for A Fei, his physique made it clear that he was a veritable waste-producing machine. He devoured his food without even chewing, swallowing everything—skin, bones, and all.
Gradually, Qi Tingting's expression changed. These two were eating way too much. From the moment they sat down until now, nearly half an hour had passed, and they hadn't stopped eating.
The waiter assigned to their table was already panting from running back and forth with plates.
"Sect Leader, Gu Feng and A Fei are eating way too much. Should we leave immediately?" Taking advantage of the moment when the two weren't paying attention, Qi Tingting hurried over to the private room where Chu Youhuan and the others were seated to report the situation.
"Ahem—
As long as they don't take anything to go, how much can they really eat? I may be poor now, but I'm still the fifth-ranked prodigy on the Inner Sect Heavenly Ranking of the Sunset Glow Sect. If word got out that I couldn't even afford to treat them to a meal, I'd be a laughingstock!"
Chu Youhuan spoke with great bravado, but when it came time to settle the bill, she was immediately dumbfounded.
Fifty-eight thousand Spirit Stones!
This amount was nothing more than pocket change for Gu Feng, but for Chu Youhuan, it meant something entirely different.
After all, the resources the Sunset Glow Sect allocated to its Inner Sect disciples each month were roughly equivalent to this sum.
"Two gluttons!" Chu Youhuan cursed inwardly, her face dark as she paid the bill.
"From now on, you're not allowed to enter the city. If you want to eat, go hunt for your own food!"
Hearing this, Gu Feng and A Fei shrugged. Hunting was fine by them—wild game tasted even better. Besides, they didn't have to lift a finger, since Chu Youhuan had previously promised to provide food for the entire journey.
As for the disciples of the Jade Maiden Sect, they all wore bitter expressions. From the sound of it, Chu Youhuan intended for them to hunt, not only to satisfy their own needs but also to cater to the insatiable appetites of Gu Feng and A Fei.
Night fell, and the stars scattered like dust.
In a valley, a campfire crackled.
Looking at Gu Feng and A Fei, who were leaning against each other, contentedly picking their teeth with dogtail grass, Chu Youhuan felt a strong urge welling up inside her. She really wanted to slap these two gluttons to death.
The entire team had become their servants, constantly searching for food along the way without a moment's rest.
It was as if the leader of this group wasn't Chu Youhuan, but Gu Feng.
Every day, they did nothing but complain about being hungry, especially A Fei, who was a top-tier waste-producing machine. He could devour a demon beast the size of a small mountain and still yell that he was hungry.
The female disciples in the group all wore grim expressions, their faces filled with resentment.
In their efforts to find food for the two, they had nearly run their legs off. Even Chu Youhuan had been forced to go hunting for a few days.
Sigh—
If she could go back to the day before they set out, Chu Youhuan would never have promised to keep the two from going hungry just to save a few Spirit Stones.
Now, she felt some regret—not for inviting Gu Feng and A Fei, but for not being more cautious when making that Heavenly Dao Oath.
It was too late for regrets now. The sound of Gu Feng and A Fei's quiet conversation reached her ears.
"A Fei, are you full?"
"About seventy percent. I could still eat another demon beast. Chu Youhuan is so stingy—not only does she not give us money, but she's also letting us go hungry!"
"Let it go. She's not having an easy time either. We're in the middle of nowhere, and finding food is already difficult. Haven't you noticed those women are about to run their legs off?"
"Big Brother is so considerate!"
The two were whispering, but anyone with eyes could see that they were subtly mocking Chu Youhuan.
The female cultivators' faces turned dark, and they all turned to look at their sect leader, their expressions filled with resentment. Chu Youhuan gritted her teeth, wishing she could devour the two of them.
The journey south was extremely arduous.
Half a month later, the group finally arrived at a mountain range called Golden Ridge, located on the edge of Cloud Prefecture.
Golden Ridge got its name from the vast expanse of trees with golden leaves that covered its slopes. When the breeze blew, the golden waves rippled layer upon layer, resembling a sea of golden sand.
"The Secret Realm is within Golden Ridge. We've been delayed for so long on the road—the other side should have already arrived." As she spoke, Chu Youhuan shot a glare at A Fei and Gu Feng. If it weren't for them constantly complaining about being hungry, they wouldn't have taken so long to reach this place.
"Here's a special kind of communication stone. Each of you gets one. It has your name on it, and you can use it to communicate with each other."
Looking at the silver stone the size of half a palm that Chu Youhuan handed over, Gu Feng was amused.
Wasn't this just a phone? It had a few buttons and some runes representing everyone's names. You could group chat or private chat—it was full of high-tech vibes.
The female disciples of the Jade Maiden Sect, upon receiving the communication stones, immediately and unanimously blocked the runes representing Gu Feng and A Fei.
They didn't want to receive messages about the two being hungry during their treasure hunt in the Secret Realm. Out of sight, out of mind.
"Once we enter the Secret Realm, you're free to act on your own or team up with others... The most important thing is to stay safe and not take unnecessary risks!"
After giving a few simple instructions, Chu Youhuan waved her hand with the air of a big sister and led the group into Golden Ridge.
Warm sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, falling on the group's heads. The group of over twenty people followed a winding path for about an hour before entering a large valley.
The place was filled with strange rocks, and the ground was covered with withered vines that crunched underfoot. A waterfall cascaded down one side of the cliff, crashing into a small lake and sending up sprays of water that brought a cool breeze.
When they reached the lakeside, Chu Youhuan stopped and scanned the surroundings.
At that moment, a group of people emerged from the other side of the valley. Unlike Chu Youhuan's group, this team was predominantly male.
Their attire was varied—scarred faces, triangular eyes, bushy beards, and even shirtless exhibitionists. They gave off the impression of a ragtag bunch, but the surging Spiritual Power emanating from their bodies revealed their extraordinary strength. Their overall power far surpassed that of Chu Youhuan's group.
"They're all experts!" Gu Feng's heart tightened, and he whispered to A Fei, who also wore a grave expression.
"Has the Sunset Glow Sect run out of people? You've gathered a bunch of misfits, even bringing along a Qi Refining Realm trash. Chu Youhuan, I never thought you'd fall so low in the Sunset Glow Sect. It's hilarious."
A woman's voice, unpleasant to the ears, rang out. Gu Feng looked up and saw a gaudily dressed female cultivator swaying her hips as she stepped out of the group.
This woman had a decent appearance, but her demeanor and gestures were somewhat frivolous, which was completely different from Chu Youhuan's aura. The former's frivolity was ingrained in her bones, while Chu Youhuan's was merely superficial. At heart, she was a very traditional woman.
Moreover, this woman's face was caked with thick makeup, lacking Chu Youhuan's natural beauty. She looked rather disgusting.
"Once we enter the Secret Realm, everyone's strength will be suppressed to the third level of the Postnatal Realm. What's the point of having a high cultivation level? Chu Yanfeng, bringing so many experts with you—doesn't that mean you lack confidence?" Chu Youhuan curled her lip and shot back.
"Giggle, giggle. Those with high cultivation levels will be suppressed to the third level of the Postnatal Realm, but that doesn't mean we can raise the cultivation of Qi Refining Realm trash!" The woman named Chu Yanfeng raised an eyebrow and cast a disdainful glance at Gu Feng.
Damn it, who did I offend to get cursed at the moment I arrived? What bad luck. Are all villains these days so fond of stepping on others?
Gu Feng curled his lip, turned away, and decided to ignore this IQ-deficient Chu Yanfeng.
Suddenly, he felt a hidden gaze fall upon him. Turning his head, he saw that a black-robed cultivator had appeared beside Chu Youhuan at some point.
The brim of his hat was pulled low, and he wore a green ghost mask. His aura was deep, and the Spiritual Radiance shimmering on his body indicated that he was an expert of the Innate Realm.
The black-robed cultivator whispered a few words to Chu Yanfeng, who then looked at Gu Feng with a strange expression, as if she were looking at a dead man.
Gu Feng's heart skipped a beat. A strong feeling rose in his chest—this black-robed cultivator's target was likely him.
But—
It didn't matter. Under Zhu Qingyan's guidance, Gu Feng had already mastered the martial skills "Jade Lion's Golden Roar" and "Immortal by the River."
Coupled with the "Ten Thousand Beasts Manual" and the Soul Shattering Whip, he had nothing to fear even against a fourth-level Postnatal Realm cultivator, unless that cultivator was a prodigy on par with A Fei. Only then would he feel some pressure. Otherwise, he could kill them one by one.
"Chu Youhuan, if all these weaklings of yours die in the Secret Realm, will you cry your eyes out and come after me for revenge?" Suppressing her anger, Chu Yanfeng asked with a smile.
"Giggle, giggle. You're overthinking it!" Chu Youhuan's confident demeanor shone brightly.
After joining the Sunset Glow Sect, she had begun selecting candidates for this Secret Realm expedition. Everyone, including Qi Tingting, had been carefully chosen by her, and their martial skills, cultivation methods, and weapons had all been meticulously guided by her.
Unless they encountered freaks like Gu Feng and A Fei, no one in the same realm could easily defeat them.
Moreover, they had practiced combined attack techniques. Even if they faced a fourth-level Postnatal Realm cultivator like her, they would win without a doubt!
The ragtag group under Chu Yanfeng might have a higher understanding of martial arts than Qi Tingting and the others, but they lacked coordination. How could they possibly be a match for her team?
"This time, I, Chu Youhuan, am determined to succeed in the Secret Realm!"
Thinking this, Chu Youhuan raised her head high. Her stunning face, illuminated by the sunlight, radiated brilliance, and her eyes brimmed with boundless charisma, making Gu Feng nod in approval.
This was the bearing a leader should have. No wonder she had managed to establish the vast Jade Maiden Sect in the Sunset Glow Sect at such a young age.
A woman who could rival men—truly remarkable!
However, she, including Qi Tingting and the others, were all too naive. Chu Yanfeng had come prepared—how could she possibly fight fair?
Gu Feng frowned slightly. With his experience of two lifetimes, he could almost be certain that the other side had prepared some underhanded tactics.
"I hope you'll still be laughing later!" Chu Yanfeng's eyes shot out two dark beams, cruel and bloodthirsty.
"Gu Feng, Chu Yanfeng is here with ill intentions. If you and A Fei have any concerns, you don't have to enter the Secret Realm," Chu Youhuan said with a serious expression as she approached, speaking in a low voice.
Although Gu Feng had displayed unparalleled combat prowess at Carp Mountain, effortlessly defeating opponents above his level, he was still only a Qi Refining Realm cultivator. Facing a peak third-level Postnatal Realm cultivator, he might be outmatched.
"Haha, are you afraid I'll get too many treasures?" Gu Feng replied with a relaxed smile.
"In the Secret Realm, it's a fight to the death!"
"Then we'll live, and they'll die?" Gu Feng's domineering aura erupted, exuding an air of invincibility.
As he spoke, a faint, sinister chuckle could be heard.
(End of the Chapter)
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